Fuck Conduction (The B.C. Vaporizer)

[vtac]

Just to clarify, the title is/was a joke. There are some excellent conduction vapes out there.

My good friend has been really excited about vaporizing ever since he first hit my SSV. He's been convinced he wants an Extreme since seeing the demo video. So he calls me up and says he bought one, 'it's called the B.C. Vaporizer' he says. $109 at a flea market. Ugh.

I was over at his place and took a look.




Beside a surfer.


Carb on the side.


Top is a (an Italian) jar, the lid is rivited on to the base.


Bit of resin.


Milkshot.


One of the reasons I didn't hit it.


Redeeming quality?

Lots of things I didn't like...

Materials: copper (brass?) bowl, lots of plastic, unknown heating element, etc. He said it tasted like shit the first few times until the residue burnt off. Vapor is drawn through the guts. No temperature control - it's either plugged in or unplugged. I'm sure you could master the technique, he said he didn't burn it every time, but if you leave it too long it burns.

I mean, I'm sure it's better than straight up smoking, and he likes it. And yeah, conduction has its place, and maybe we all owe this vape some thanks for being one of the first. But if burns your herb at its unchangeable temp it's kind of failing at its sole purpose.

50 years ago, ok. But not today and not at that price.



Edit: No, I didn't read this. Will print him a copy. RTFM!

Double Edit: Hmm, I thought this was the original conduction vape for some reason, but apparently it's only going back to '94.

 

[Cannabudz]

it's amazing how easy it is to waste $100 buck's or more

 

[Cannabudz]

I'm thinking i can be payin 4 a new SSV within a month if i tighten the belt, piece of piss

 

[vaporcloud]

Or just go the BC Vape now Cannabubz its all class

 

[SpiralArchitect]

Eeee! Throw it away!

 

[max]

The BC Vaporizer has many victims. I admit I was one. I didn't do enough research. I was in sticker shock at the $80 BC price. I thought to myself, 'I love this vapor stuff, but this BC thing sucks'. It got me by for a few weeks until I could get a real one.

$109 at a flea market? They're selling for $60-80 straight from the manufacturer. Your friend needs some remedial shopping lessons.

 

[vtac]

$109 at a flea market? They're selling for $60-80 straight from the manufacturer. Your friend needs some remedial shopping lessons.

Haha yeah, impulse buy. I felt bad so I didn't say anything.

Although if you ordered online, shipping and tax would make it around $100.

 

[Cannabudz]

Yeah, Avoid three shit buy's and you have enough for an Extreme or an SSV with Xtra's, suck's being uninformed ay, it's like your easy prey for all those less than scrupulous business type's, No new info this shit but, just something you don't but should think of more

 

[max]

Well, $87. No tax for me. I am surprised these things are still selling at these prices. A Genie or Vaporstar is a much better buy IMO. I still remember the headaches I got from sucking on that POS. I sold it for $25 and felt guilty. :/

 

[vaporcloud]

I think the funniest thing about the BC vape is that most people think it started the vaporizing revolution but thats far from the truth. The Eterra has been around for 30 years and the Aromazap took over from the Eterra. I think because the Eterra and later the Zap were marketed as diffusers with vaporizing a secondary thing they never caught on in a big way. Could be that the 2 both had some design probs (now fixed by Tom and the purple-days) but this hasn't stopped the BC vape from still being around and still being sold as a viable vapping solution. I nearly bought a BC years ago but was put off by the warm-up time and slow session. I'm glad things have improved ... and perhaps if the BC wasn't such a POS new vapes would not have been invented and we wouldn't have the vast choice we do today.

 

[djelimon]

it's called the B.C. Vaporizer' he says. $109 at a flea market. Ugh.

Man, I can get one for $50 at the head shop down the street.

I got one of those back when vaping was little known. Never again.

 

[Clear_Dome]

my first vap was a bc vap to ....man that shit suck so much ....I just lost any interest in vapin after buying this shit .....taste sour and burn the mj if you light it for to long ...I just dont understand why your friend dont ask you if it work befor buying it ....i mean you are a professional vaper... LOL

 

[vtac]

I just dont understand why your friend dont ask you if it work befor buying it ....i mean you are a professional vaper... LOL

I know eh. I think it was just a matter of seeing it there in front of you and having the cash in your pocket. Impulse buy.

I think the funniest thing about the BC vape is that most people think it started the vaporizing revolution but thats far from the truth.

Yeah, not sure why I was thinking that. I had a vision in my head of hippies and conduction vapes. Is the BC Vape even the original of its style? They (Plasticsmith) say that they coined the term "vaporizer" used in this context.

But you're right, it does kind of make you stop and think how lucky we are to have what we have.

In the news video they mention a shipment headed to the Cosmic Corner in NZ.

 

[vaporcloud]

Yep and the Comsic Corner have them hahaha bet they dont sell many. They also have 'canos at $1099 for the standard and $1199 for the Digi Cano. Bet they don't sell many of those either

 

[Clear_Dome]

are you kidding

 

[vtac]

Hehe, about $900 CAD :/

 

[vaporcloud]

are you kidding

About the price of a 'cano ... no not kidding. Were at the end of the earth and our dollar isn't worh much ... but this doesn't stop retailers putting on a huge markup on somethings.

 

[Cannabudz]

About the only thing good that the guy @ vaporite is doin, is informing peop's the conduction vapes r shit, this is so true 4 my xp, my 1st 3 vapes were two of these things, with the round glass dome & pvc straw tube, & the crapir one (vapir), all three were shit for scorching too easy also, generally speaking not a worthwile XP, It's a wonder some of us R here vaping 2day, Persistant fucker's Stoner's Rnt WE

Also the last thing happening to me with those vape's is some sort of mind blowing XP, The Bar's been raised pretty high for me now, I feel i lucked out recently, but i want to be a lot more shrewd about what shit i poney up 4 in the future dooodz

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

there is ONE thing that the conduction vapes will work reasonably well for, hash oil, same kind of thing as hot knifing, only not as good

 

[streetsofsurrey]

Yeah people please avoid this product. It's really bad and definitely not worth the hype. I don't know how this product got so much media attention. Do yourself a favor, just buy a damn vapor genie or save up for a volcano.

 

[max]

^ I don't think a warning against the BC is necessary for anyone browsing this forum. At least I would hope not.

just buy a damn vapor genie or save up for a volcano.

I think we can safely recommend a few good choices between $50 and $539 too.

 

[Dumnoval]

Helloes!

Just found this board, some nice info. I have never tried a vaporizer before, but a local headshop was running a special offer and I had some cash in my pocket, so I decided to give it a go. Anyway, I bought this dirt-cheap Chinese made vaporizer. It actually looks and feels pretty well made, especially for what I paid for it.

It is pretty much exactly this model:
http://www.breakshop.ch/Vaporizer/V....html?XTCsid=13bebbae1870a51eeab4949d80a085aa

(Except mine is black )

I tried it immediately with some dutch "Orange Bud", and it works pretty well. There are no temperature markings, just a knob to regulate, so I just set it to 50% and gradually increased the heat until it seemed about right. It produced great tasting nice vapours and gave me a gentle head-high. I have one issue with it though:
As you can see, the silicon hose is connected to a hole in the acrylic base. The air intake is through a hole in the back of the base, through holes in the outer shield of the heating element (which seems to be taken straight from a soldering iron ). Those holes are right next to the hose connector, and I have the feeling that I am getting more fresh air through those holes than vapours from the glass dome. After finishing, there was quite a bit of residue on the inside of the dome, and i have the feeling that a large part of the actives is wasted, sticking to the dome. What do you think? I thought about modifying it slightly, either moving the hose up into the dome or adding some material to force the fresh air to circulate through the dome.

The high was good, quality wise, but quite a bit less strong than if i smoked the same amount pure in a pipe (which is my usual way of consumption).

...please dont flame me for using cheap shit instead of buying something "proper", i am just getting started with this and i actually think this thing looks pretty cool, like a plasma ball or so.

Also, if this thing turns out to be shit: I think it would make a GREAT temperature regulated incense heater, just take off the glass dome, turn up the heat and add whatever incense to it. With the LEDs in it it is certainly decorative.

 

[steiner666]

Quality/origin of construction aside, this style of vape is about the worst design, from what i've heard anyway. I think they're pretty much all conduction (physical transfer heat) and no convection (heating through hot air travel past), so it wont vape your herb anywhere near as evenly and efficiently, more than likely some parts of the load would burn before other parts had released all of the vapor possible. Also, as you mentioned, there is going to be a not-so-great air/vapor ratio. Also, if the vape functions the way i assume it does, the heat will be on the herb the whole time, whether you're hitting it or not, which will cause it to be continually releasing vapor, whereas convection vapes only produce vapor when you draw on the whip, because the heat doesnt touch the herb until you suck it across it. This is probably why you're seeing so much build up already.

Overall, you've taken a step in the right direction by buying any sort of vape, but I'd recommend you start looking into getting a quality convection-type vape tho, if you want to have better efficiency, flavor, and consistency. Also, as you probably know if you've spent any time going through these forums, chinese vapes are more likely to be constructed with less-than-desirable materials that may give off fumes and such at vaping temps.

welcome to FC btw

 

[Dumnoval]

Yes, its conduction all the way. The way this works is that the hot vapors rise up and therefore get "stored" in the glass dome until emptied. You wait until there is enough build up, and then inhale it. Not an optimal design, but I think it seems to work ok. So... my main problem is actually inhaling it, and not just inhaling fresh air from the intake. That's why I ask if anyone has any experience with this type of vape, and especially with possibly modifying it for better air circulation.

I don't worry about the materials too much: The plastic parts don't even get warm, the only hot parts are the actual metal heating element and the glass dome. While these could in principle release fumes etc, its a lot better than hot Chinese plastics would be. And there is absolutely no plastic or otherwise unnatural taste or smell noticeable... I know, that doesn't mean anything really, but I really don't think its that bad.

[EDIT]
I just thought of a possible mod:
First, close the original fresh air supply. It goes right past the heating element, which is nonsense anyway. Then, drill a hole beside the heating element in the "base" of the vapour chamber, going to the lower part of the device. Drill another hole in the base of the device, going to the outside. Insert a metal tube so it goes from the outside through the base into the vapour chamber, past the heating element, and close to the top of the dome. Since this would be the only source of fresh air, it would probably "pick up" a lot more vapour as it does now. (Notice how the hose connection is right at the lower end of the vapour chamber.)

 

[mattybass]

Wait... so you say the current air supply when you draw, pulls air past the heating element? Does this airstream also come in contact with the bud as it passes the heating element? If so, that's the convection part of your vape and is essential to heating the bud evenly.